 Glengarriff and
Garinish
Island - 16km (10miles)
Glengarriff which derived its name
from 'An GleannGarbh' - the rugged glen is one of Ireland's
most beautifully situated villages, nestling at the foot of
the Caha mountains. The Forest Park on the N71 Kenmare Road
is well worth a visit, as it is one of the few remaining
examples in Ireland of the original Oak and Holly Woodland
that once covered the country. There are a number of nature
trails through the forest together with delightful picnic
areas. A
short trip across the harbour brings the visitor to Ilnacullen (island of Holly)- the famed
Garinish
Island
with its 37 acres of sub-tropical plants and Martello Tower.
 The surrounding waters are quite rich in wildlife, and seals can
frequently be seen the rocks on the southern shore.
The Bamboo Park is on the Bantry-Glengarriff main road (N71)
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 Gougane Barra -
24km (15 miles)
Leaving Bantry via Kealkil and driving through the Pass of
Keimaneigh lies Gougane Barra where the river Lee has its
sources. It is surrounded on three sides by mountains and
the fourth side opens up to the River Valley. It was here in
Gougane Barra that St. Finbarr, Patron Saint of Cork,
founded his monastery.
Ireland's first National Park with its nature trails and
picnic sites was opened in Gougane Barra. An ideal place to
relax and unwind.
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Castle Donovan -
24km (15 miles)
Driving out of Bantry by one of the roads to the east one
encounters Lough Bofinne, one of the famous trout fishing
lakes of Ireland. Four miles further on, the ruins of
O'Donovan Castle is encountered as well as the famous mound
of rocks signifying the tribal seat. By taking the road to
the north past the Castle one enters the Mealagh Valley
noted for its concentration of megalithic monuments.
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 Sheep's Head -
36km (20 miles)
The road down the Sheep's Head Peninsula heads from Durrus
village along the coast to the wooded inlet of Ahakista.
Here you will see the Air India Memorial which commemorates
the loss of an Air India Aircraft and the passengers and
crew who were killed when the aircraft crashed off the Cork
coast in 1985.
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Continue on to Kilcrohane. Beyond the village the road
climbs adventurously to the top of Sheep's Head, on the
ridge of which is an old signal tower. A return is made via
Kilcrohane and the north side of the peninsula by way of the
mountain road called the Goat's Path where the wide expanse
of Bantry Bay, Bere Island, Hungry Hill and Sugarloaf
Mountain can be viewed.
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Kenmare 64km (40
miles)
 Journeying through Coomhola (Rushing Water) and the
breathtaking Borlin Valley to the source of the cascading
river one can enjoy the splendour of the hidden valleys of
the Southwest. From the Pass to the North one encounters the
tunnel, remains of monastic settlement, battle site of
Callan (1200's) and the vintage car museum before arriving
at Kilorglin. Passing through Kenmare and returning to
Glengarriff one has to negotiate the famous winding tunnel
road with panoramic views of Glengarriff Woods and the upper
Bay Region.
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Mizen Head
Peninsula 103km (64 miles)
Mizen Head,
with almost vertical cliffs and a lighthouse station on an
islet linked to the mainland by a suspension bridge, is the
extreme south western tip of Ireland. Here in the Mizen
Vision one can see on display the fascinating story of the
building of the Fastnet lighthouse plus the Keepers kitchen
and bedroom which have been retained to recall the lifestyle
of the men of the Irish Lights. The rest of the light
keepers rooms have been converted to include an audiovisual
room, a map and archive room, an underwater room, a bird and
sea watch room, and a storm room. Close to the Mizen are the
beautiful sandy beaches of Barley Cove.
Nearby is
Crookhaven, which has a harbour much favoured by yachtsmen.
On the return journey, you pass through the delightful
village of Schull which nestles at the foot of Mount.
Gabriel which rises to just over 407 meters and has an
aircraft tracking station on its summit.
Finally, on to
the brightly painted village of Ballydehob on the homeward
journey to Bantry.
Visit Mizen Head website
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Skibbereen
Heritage Centre
In the bustling town of
Skibereen are the Lough Hyne Interpretative Centre and The Great Famine
Commeration Exhibition. The Great Famine Commeration Exhibition is a
compelling reminder of the horrors of the terrible famine years
1845-1848
 chillingly brought to life in a series of exhibits,
dramatisations and interactive stations.
Visit
Skibbereen Heritage Centre website
The Lough Hyne
Interpretative Centre shows the variety of unusual sea life to be found
in the waters of the Lough.
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Ring Of
Beara 146km (91 miles)
 The circuit of the
Beara Peninsula is a wild and beautiful area, with high rugged
mountains contrasting with the highly indented coastline.
Castletownbere, the principal town, boasts the second largest
natural harbour in the world and is the major fishing port of
Ireland. Outside the town are the ruins of O'Sullivans Dunboy
Castle and the remains of Puxley's Hall.
Dursey Island is
well worth a visit, whereby access to the mainland is by cable
car, the only one of its kind in the country. En route you pass
through Allihies which was once the site of extensive copper
mines and then on to the colourful village of Eyeries where the
file 'The Purple Taxi' was shot in 1975.
A shorter trip
through the scenic Healy Pass, Lauragh and the coast road of
Kilmakilloge is well worth a visit.
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